A Port Authority spokesperson told the Daily News that at around 8:30 a.m. the terminal was evacuated and all surrounding roads were temporarily shut to traffic while an NYPD Bomb Squad investigated the suspicious package. The bomb squad had been called in after a K9 dog initially flagged the package. An hour later, after determining that the threat was a false alarm, the terminal was reopened and normal operations resumed. Witnesses took to social media to document the evacuation.

Following the Istanbul attack, the Port Authority released a statement outlining plans for increased security at New York's airport, including "high visibility patrols equipped with tactical weapons," at the three major airports that serve New York. "Today's action is in addition to the diverse counter-terrorism patrols at various Port Authority facilities following the attack on an Orlando club earlier this month," the statement adds.